Hyde Park Renovation... Framing it up

Feels good to see it start to look more like a house again. My brilliant builders Spaller + Glover created this cathredal-esque hallway leading to an iron and glass custom window at the end to allow for more natural light and (of course) a little more glamor.

Future kitchen. (remember, used to be the bathroom) That door leads out to a courtyard.

This is the main living area... with high high ceilings. It's a small house, but won't feel that way thanks to all of the high ceilings.

Hyde Park - Quintessential Cottage on the Avenue Streets

Take a look at this darling vintage 1940s Austin home on an oversized lot in picturesque Hyde Park neighborhood. Just over 1200 square feet, the house is a 2 bedroom, 1 bath, with an extra flex room that could be used as a studio, study, or even a nursery. Excellent proximity Close to University of Texas and north Austin hot spots, restaurants, coffee shops, and shopping.

Lovely vintage tile in the bath!

Kitchen has copper sink and wall mounted faucets - lots of character and charm.

Great back yard with custom fence... picture yourself here. !

5014 Avenue F - currently listed at $313,500.

Click here for virtual tour.

Cromwell Hill - Old Enfield Vintage Austin Luxury Home

I think we have all been waiting patiently for some new listing inventory here in the Austin market. Today, this one came up... a vintage 1932 old Enfield Austin home, located on Cromwell Hill .... she oozeth over with charm. All sides brick, this sweet Austin home sits on more than a third of an acre in the Enflield subdivison, zip code 78703, exemplary elementary school Casis. The home is 2403 square feet with 2 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 3 living areas and 2 dining areas.

Delightful peri0d architecture and design details like arched doorways, wood trim... love this drippy glass chandelier.

...built ins.

Kitchen is modest - but it screams "Come, come sit down and enjoy some lemonade and fresh baked cookies with me... ". Sigh... times forgotten.

The master bedroom...

Gleaming vintage tub and large hex tile in the bath. ! I am always a push over for pink vintage bathrooms. I can't help it.

Master dressing area with attached green vintage bath. I almost like the green one better than the pink one.

...and also... not shown... a large swimming pool outside.

Listing courtesy of Gottesman Residential.

Introducing Our New Hyde Park Renovation Project

Where did I leave off? For the past 3 months my husband and I have been working on acquiring this little house in Hyde Park, one of Austin's oldest and most historic neighborhoods. Unfortunately, this particular real estate saga was high on drama and incredibly time consuming... not to mention my kids, my husband, my day-to-day real estate clients, and, oh right... the holidays...sigh. Needless to say, my blog was neglected.


I was out for a run one September morning in Hyde Park and I noticed that this little house - which I had jogged past MANY times... had a "For Sale" sign posted out front. This house, I should mention, has had a "For Sale By Owner" sign posted for probably over a year...but the sellers wanted an unreasonable amount of money given the property's compromised condition.

Turned out that the house was up for foreclosure and the sellers were now trying to do a short sale. My husband and I immediately wrote up an offer (for what we thought was market value) and submitted it. Apparently in the nick of time, saving the house from foreclosure. (Interesting to note - a bank cannot foreclose on a house if there is a written offer to purchase...no matter what the purchase price)

Now, 4 months later, and much drama... it's all ours. ! We have big plans for the house that we will renovate for ourselves to live in - hopefully for many years to come. The renovations will begin next month - pending city of Austin building permits. The house is actually located in a historical preservation district... which presents many fun hoops to jump through. Luckily, we have a great builder, Urban Nature, Inc. to help us through the process.

I am looking forward to telling the story of our renovation project this year as it progresses, along with keeping everyone informed of Austin things to do, to see, and of course... Austin real estate.

Happy 2011.

Brentwood Central Austin Home - 1900s Schoolhouse Loaded with Charm

Today I am showcasing this 1911 schoolhouse... relocated from Elgin, Texas to the heart of central Austin in the Brentwood Neighborhood. It rests on a large, private 1/3 acre lot with a creek behind... lots this big are rare in the heart of the city. Imagine having your own personal oasis!

Note the schoolhouse shaped door trim! You can't see it in this photo, but there's a school bell over the door as well. The house has a large inviting front porch and a large back porch.

Inside, many period details and architectural design elements including soaring 12 foot ceilings, arched doorways, and a fireplace mantle with marble hearth.

The kitchen has loads of cabinets and built ins along with a picture-perfect window over the sink. The home could use a little TLC... but is also perfectly darling as-is.

The house is 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1500+ square feet with 2 dining areas, a huge utility room, walk-in pantry, and outdoor storage. This view is from one of the bedrooms.

The bathroom has an original cast iron tub and vintage tile.

The house is priced at $289,000 - which, when combined with the size of the lot... is a steal. Click here for the virtual tour.

Hyde Park Austin Home - Stunning, yet Practical Renovation

Yet another Hyde Park Austin beauty.... The quintessential family home nestled on sought after Avenue C in Hyde Park. The home boasts 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, and 3000 squre feet and is priced agressively at $233/sf. It's a stunning example of how to tastefully bring a vintage Austin home into 2010. Also zoned exemplary Austin ISD Lee Elementary.

Rich maple hardwood flooring throughout the house. Designer paint colors, high ceilings, period details... and wide open spaces.

Cook's kitchen with granite, stainless appliance package (including built in fridge and wine refrigerator).

Lovely Master bath with Kohler undermount sinks, subway tile, and frameless glass shower giant soking tub. All this and still a shady backyard with plenty of space to relax, play, unwind. An oasis in the heart of the city... just a few miles north of University of Texas and downtown Austin.

Listed at $699,999. Open house 8/29 from 1 PM - 4 PM.

Incredible Value - Austin Home for Sale - Oak Hill Elementary on Wooded Lot - Fully Renovated

Listed at $289,000 and just over 2500 square feet, this 4 bedroom, 2 bath southwest Austin home located in Oak Hill Elementary school district is a fantastic value. The house is light and airy with bamboo and travertine floors throughout. The living room has soaring ceilings and a wood burning fire place.

This little sun room is just off the entrance to the home and looks out onto the large front yard and carport... with boat parking!

The master bedroom is a zen sanctuary with loads of windows and shoji-inspired sliding closet doors. The house also has 3 good size secondary bedrooms also with bamboo floors.

The kitchen has also been fully renovated with granite counters, travertine floors, and modern cabinetry.

Spa like master bathroom incorporating the native Austin limestone with travertine. Has a jetted tub and separate rain shower.

The house sits on a .4 acre, wooded lot with a wet weather creek alongside. It is located in Austin MLS area W, zip code 78735, not far from other popular neighborhoods like Travis Country and Oak Hill. This little subdivision, Oak Park, has very little turnover... and in fact, this is currently one of only two homes for sale in the subdivision.

Click here for the full virtual tour.

I love this guy: Fresh Roasted Coffee Delivered to Central Austin Homes

One of my happiest moments of each month is when this guy, "Robby", shows up at my house on his scooter with 2 pounds of freshly roasted French Roast coffee beans. Freshly roasted... as in "within hours"... and I have to say - this coffee tastes incredibly better than any of the coffee I have been bringing home from Whole Foods or Central Market since forever. Plus, 10% of all proceeds go to Hope House, an orphanage in northern Uganda

Give it a whirl. Pilot House Coffee

Radical Real Estate - The Bouldin Castle - South Austin 78704

This property puts Austin real estate on a whole new level. A medieval-modern castle located in one of South Austin's most vibrant urban neighborhoods and cultural scenes, Bouldin Creek, this home began life in 1925 as a catholic church. In 2008, visionary home builder Urban Nature, Inc. purchased the property and began restoring, renovating, and modernizing it inch by inch. Sitting on more than a 1/3 acre corner lot in the heart of the city, the Bouldin Castle, as it is rapidly becoming known, is a magical residence, truly fit for a king...and it's for sale for $1.6M.

The original church structure now encompasses the main living area, the formal dining, and the gourmet kitchen. The flagstone floors, roof beams, and heavy stucco walls are original to the church structure. There is a 3 story addition that connects to the original church via a medieval turret. In all, the castle has 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths and measures about 4270 square feet.

The castle has its own saline lap pool surrounded by a flagstone patio. The stone privacy fence, inspired by gothic architecture, is made from locally sourced aquifer rock.


This is the master bedroom which encompasses the entire 2nd floor and has its own private balcony as well as a sitting room. The wood floor is made from reclaimed oak and laid out in a 7-sided polygonal pattern.

The master bath includes this magnificent bathtub along with a marble shower, double vanity, toilet, and bidet. To the right is a generous walk-in closet.

To see all of the glorious details on this luxury Austin home and more pics... go to www.bouldincastle.com

(or email me)

Lovely South Austin Home 78745 - Still time for tax credit!

This sweet little house is located just a short 10 minute drive down South 1st street from downtown Austin in the hot zip code 78745. The home is 1215 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths with a one car garage and recent updates.



The current owner has lived her for 8 years and did the updating for herself. Recent updates include laminate floors throughout, bathroom vanities, hardware, and toilets, a privacy fence, outdoor wooden deck, the AC compressor, and even the roof. She is selling the home so that she can move to Paris, France. (a lifelong dream!)

Currently listed at $158,000 - the seller is also contributing $3000 to buyer's closing costs. First time home buyers... don't miss this sweet little house in 78745.

Austin Real Estate Market: Buyers or Sellers Market?

Are we really in a buyers market here in Austin? I have seen many scenarios of multiple offers this past summer and I am often explaining to buyers that there isn't a "fire sale" in Austin Real Estate.

The answer is that when looking at the entire Austin real estate market, we have roughly 7.4 months of inventory, which yes, is technically a buyers market. This means that there is enough homes currently for sale to last 7.4 months at the current rate of sales. Generally, anything more than 6 months is considered a buyers market.

However, when you focus in on specific neighborhoods and areas, you see a different picture.


The hottest selling Austin neighborhoods/Austin MLS areas:


1. Area 10S - 2.24 months of inventory
(north of Slaughter, west of I-35, east of Mopac, south of William Cannon)
2. Area 2N - 3.8 months of inventory
(north of 183, west of I-35, east of Mopac, south of Parmer Lane) Includes popular Quail Creek neighborhood.

3. 10N - 4.95 months of inventory
(north of William Cannon, west of I-35, east of Mopac, south of Ben White Blvd) Includes popular Cherry Creek neighborhood.

Average sales price range in these 3 areas is $125,000 - $175,000. (First time home buyer range...we can thank the tax credit I think.)

The slower moving Austin neighborhoods / Austin MLS areas?

1. Downtown - 24 months of inventory
(north of Colorado River/Town Lake, west of I-35, east of Lamar, south of MLK)

2. 1B - 15.6 months of inventory
(south of 2222, west of Mopac until 35th St, west of Lamar until Colorado River / Town Lake, east of Lake Austin) Includes Tarrytown, Clarksville, Highland Park West, and Pemberton Heights neighborhoods.
3. 8W - 11.82 months of inventory
(south of Colorado River, west of Mopac, east of 360, includes zip code 78738) Includes Rollingwood, West Lake Hills, and Lost Creek neighborhoods.


Average sales price in these 3 areas is $350,000 (downtown) - $650,000.


Here's a map of the Austin MLS areas.




Find out before you are buying or selling the market statistics for the area you are buying or selling in.

Rent vs. Buy for University of Texas Students

Several clients I am working with at the moment are on the prowl for properties near the University of Texas that they could purchase now, live in while they are attending UT, and continue rent to students when they are finished to school.

Rents close to UT campus for a 2 bedroom 1 bath house range from $1200 - $1500 per month. With interest rates as low as they are right now (not to mention first time buyer tax credit), you can buy a little bungalow in the low $200K's and actually spend less every month on your housing than you would if you were renting... all the while gaining equity. Not a horrible plan.

Key zip codes to search for ideal properties are 78751 (north Hyde Park and North Loop), 78722 (Pannell Place), and 78702 (between MLK and 12th, as far east as airport). Here are some of the listings I like the best:

2942 Eckert in Pannell Place subdivision, East Austin 78722. List price is $209,900. 2 bedrooms, 1 bath

1410 Sanchez - East Austin 78702, walk to MLK commuter rail station. List price $229,000 2 bedrooms 1 bath

943 E. 52nd St. - north of Hyde Park area. List price $225,000 2 bedrooms, 1 bath

You can email me for the complete MLS listings.